Patent GB-208739-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines for applying caps to containers
IPC: B67B3/02
Filed: 1922-06-30
Abstract: 208,739. Ingram, H. June 30, 1922. Stoppering.-A machine for applying caps to tumblers, jars, &c. in vacuo or under reduced pressure comprises a box for holding the containers and .having a sealing head working therein, the closing of the box and the sealing operation being effected by a vacuum pump. A sealing head 4, Fig. 2, is adjustably mounted on a shaft 7 in a sealing box 2 and the containers are placed in a tray 160* in the box. At the beginning of a cycle of operations, the door 9 of the box is closed and the pump 240, Fig. 6, is started to create a vacuum between the pistons 12, 13 of a door cylinder 11, Figs. 5 and 6, connection being made by a pipe 24, starting valve 25, and pipe 18, and the starting-handle 20 being in the right-hand position. The pistons 12, 13 approach the position shown in Fig. 5, the upper piston 12 acting through a rod 154 and links 153, 1000 to open the door 9. The bottom piston 13 raises a lever 132, Fig. 2, and links 131, 130 to hold the sealing head 4 in the raised position. The stem 36 of a duplex valve, Figs. 6 and 12, is held down, allowing air to pass from the chamber 16, which is open to the air, and to go through a pipe 37 to the upper part of the pressure cylinder 5, Figs. 6 and 10, and the lower part of the pressure cylinder is exhausted through a valve 50 and pipe 51. The piston 70 and piston rod 71 are thus depressed and the head 4 held up through links 132, 131, 130. A reversing valve 90, Figs. 6 and 17, is at this stage exhausted equally on each side of the piston 93, a pipe 92 being closed by a valve 91 and the pipe 92* communicating with either side of the piston through ducts 94, 95. Thus, before the starting handle 20 has been pulled to the left, the door 9 is held open, the plate 4 is raised and the stem 36 in the duplex valve is depressed. The starting handle is then pulled to the left and toggles 142, 144, Figs. 5 and 12, move the piston 23 off its upper seat and on to its lower seat 22: The lower chamber 19 and the pipe 40 are closed to the pump, the ports 25<b> are closed and the upper chamber 16 opened to the pump. Air passes through ports 26<b> and pipe 40 to destroy the vacuum in the chamber 32 in the duplexvalve, and the stem 36 is partially lifted by a spring 31* and places the pipe 37 in operative connection with the pump. Air is admitted through pipe 18 to the space 17 between thepistons 12, 13, and the ends of the cylinder 11, being connected by a pipe 15 to the chamber 16, are exhausted. The door 9 is thus closed through links 153, 1000, and the downward movement of the piston 13, causes, through links 165, 164, 132, 131, 130, a preliminary downward movement of the sealing head 4. The pump then exhausts the box 2 and the pressure cylinder 5 until a predetermined degree of exhaustion has been attained. A vacuum regulator valve 111, Figs. 6 and 11, then comes into operation and closes the box 2 to the pump. The valve comprises a member 115 with two washers 115<a>, 115<b> carried on a stem 116 held upwards by an adjustable spring 123, Fig. 6, acting on a lever 122 pivoted at 121. When the required degree of exhaustion in the 'box has been reached, the atmospheric pressure, acting through ports 118, forces the valve downwards so that the washer 115b seats on the part 115<c> and cuts off the box from the pump. The pump continues to exhaust the pressure cylinder 5 to a further predetermined degree, when the -atmospheric pressure acts upon a piston 82, Fig. 10, through ports 85 and raises a head 88 against the action of a spring 83. A catch 66 is thus released and allows the stem 53 of the valve 50 to fly upwards owing to atmospheric pressure on the washer 54. Air is admitted to the lower part of the pressure box and the piston 70 and stem 71 rise and operate the links 132, 131, 130 to complete the downward movement of the pressure plate. The caps are thus pushed tightly on to the containers 3 and the end of the pipe 92 is pushed off its seating 91, thus opening the left-hand side of the reversing valve 90, Fig. 17, to the atmosphere. The starting handle is drawn to the right by a slotted member 95<x> on the stem 94<x> of the reversing valve, and through the operation of the toggle links 142, 144 on the stem 145 reverses the starting valve. Air is thus admitted to the upper part of the pressure cylinder, to the box, and also to the space between the pistons 12, 13 in the door cylinder 11 to cause the door 9 to be opened and the head 4 to be raised. The tray of containers may ba withdrawn. The action of the starting handle may be substituted by that of a spring-pressed piston adapted to come into action when a pnedetermined degree of exhaustion has been reached.